| Tango01 | 13 Dec 2014 3:34 p.m. PST |
"The Russian military suffered years of neglect after the Soviet collapse and no longer casts the shadow of a global superpower. However, the Russian armed forces are in the midst of a historic overhaul with significant consequences for Eurasian politics and security. Russian officials say the reforms are necessary to bring a Cold War–era military into the 21st century, but many Western analysts fear they will enable Moscow to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy, often relying on force to coerce its weaker neighbors. Some say Russian interventions in Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014—both former Soviet republics seeking closer ties to the West—demonstrate that President Vladimir Putin is prepared to use military force to reestablish Russian hegemony in its near abroad…"
Full article here
link Amicalement
Armand |
| Lion in the Stars | 13 Dec 2014 8:50 p.m. PST |
It's not like the US is significantly better off. I mean, almost all our gear is worn down, if not worn OUT after 10+ years of near wartime use levels, etc. The real problem with Russia (and China) is that they aren't bringing in major upgrades fast enough to get any volume production discounts. If you only build 48 airplanes a year on an assembly line that can deliver 48 a week, you're paying a huge amount of overhead for no benefit. ~52x more overhead than running at full production. |
| Cyrus the Great | 13 Dec 2014 10:36 p.m. PST |
Dobby's going to have hard time of overhauling anything with a barrel of oil going south of $60.00 USD. |
Chortle  | 13 Dec 2014 10:59 p.m. PST |
The oil market is a fantastic weapon of war. |
| Maddaz111 | 14 Dec 2014 3:51 a.m. PST |
Yes, the oil market is a great weapon, but what happens if someone decides to turn it off, a few attacks by terrorists and it climbs in price yet again? America is still very strong, but like all great empires, it's time in the sun will be limited. |
| cwlinsj | 14 Dec 2014 7:37 a.m. PST |
Just how does one turn off the oil supply? Oil doesn't come from just one location, country or continent. Libya isn't producing, Iraq is at a standstill, Iran is embargoed -and yet prices keep falling due to OPEC actions and oversupply… Besides, the USA is now producing shale oil at costs as low as USD40 per barrel. The USA has more shale oil reserves than all the traditional petroleum reserves left in the world. If kept for domestic use, that's enough oil to last 200 years. |
| Maddaz111 | 14 Dec 2014 7:54 a.m. PST |
(how to turn off Americas oil Supply) (REDACTED) |
 Legion 4  | 14 Dec 2014 9:21 a.m. PST |
America is still very strong, but like all great empires, it's time in the sun will be limited.
True … but it appears that may be a ways off … But there are a few signs of that is going to happen, but later than sooner … |
| Lion in the Stars | 14 Dec 2014 12:04 p.m. PST |
Any "empire" tends to last about 400 years (Go read the wiki entries for the various Egyptian and Chinese dynasties, and the Roman Empire). Roughly 200 years of growth, ~100 years of more-or-less stable size, and a slow decline in size over the last 100 years. Spain, Russia and the UK followed that same pattern. The "American Empire" has had it's ~200 years of expansion, and has ~50-75 years of relative stability left. I'm expecting about 50 years of relative stability and a faster decline. |
| Tango01 | 14 Dec 2014 12:58 p.m. PST |
Interesting note Lion!. Amicalement
Armand |
| Maddaz111 | 14 Dec 2014 1:19 p.m. PST |
I have to say, that I expect America to have a longer period of stability – but then a very fast decline. I would say still another hundred to one hundred and fifty years at least to go. I always wonder what the next great empire will be, but for my future universes – I created new successor states that cut across old countries. |
| Great War Ace | 14 Dec 2014 1:25 p.m. PST |
Battling "prophets". Nobody can say. Because the present is like no other before it. And the future is literally unpredictable. Technology alone makes it unpredictable. The human race could be leaving this planet in the next 50 to 100 years…. |
| Mako11 | 14 Dec 2014 2:15 p.m. PST |
I suspect you are correct Lion, and it's been the last 25+ years, since Gulf War I, the Balkans, etc. |
| Deadone | 14 Dec 2014 3:36 p.m. PST |
Good article. Russian conscripts service time is reduced to 1 year only. That includes 3 months basic training. 9 months is not a long time to establish any level of competency. The professionalisation of the army failed – poor pay, awful living conditions etc etc. Thoigh a failing economy might see an increase in pool of available applicants.
Another article posted recently stated that even in the VDDV, only 5 batallions were equivalent in training and equipment to Western forces.
It's not like the US is significantly better off. I mean, almost all our gear is worn down, if not worn OUT after 10+ years of near wartime use levels, etc. Still better than the average Russian unit. |
| Legion 4 | 16 Dec 2014 8:03 a.m. PST |
Right now with the ruble crashing, economic sanctions having an effect, etc. … I'm guessing Putin's army may be suffering … if not now but in the near future … |
| Lion in the Stars | 16 Dec 2014 12:10 p.m. PST |
The problem is that it's a well-documented fact that countries facing domestic crises tend to start rattling the sabers, if not getting the whole population going against some bordering nation and kick off a conflict. Seen it happen in Argentina in 1980, Germany in 1930s, and Japan in the 19teens, where it lead to war. See it all the time in Iran and Argentina today, rattling sabers. I just hope Putin doesn't manage to unify the population in a push towards no-joke war. |
| Legion 4 | 16 Dec 2014 2:07 p.m. PST |
He does have an 87% approval rating … |
| Deadone | 16 Dec 2014 2:51 p.m. PST |
Didn't Saddam have a 99% approval rating? Russia isn't exactly a functioning democracy these days. |
| Legion 4 | 17 Dec 2014 9:23 a.m. PST |
Very true … very true … a functioning democracy these days.
Sometimes hard to find … these days … |
